


Gunpowder

by Serpex



Series: Stingue Week 2017 - Serpex [2]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Okami, Day 2: Fireworks, Fluff, M/M, Stingue Week 2017, Tama Arc, stingue, stingxrogue - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-02 20:02:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12733344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serpex/pseuds/Serpex
Summary: Rogue has always been one to stay away from people. He lived past the plains and high on the hilltops above Kamiki Village among the peaks of Shinshu Field. He was famous for his fireworks, but this year, he hadn't sent up any fireworks. Not once had he'd even touched his tools. The herbs that he used to make all his wonderous colors were scarce leaving his furnace unused. The heat that once fired his home was nothing but dry ashes among the foliage. Illness took ahold of Rogue and left him wanting nothing but to die.Sting was the local doctor of the neighboring Yakushi Village. He despised Rogue for always taking his herbs and using them for ingredients in his fireworks. However, when Rogue's disheveled apprentice, Natsu, comes running to Sting, he almost immediately sends the poor boy home. That is until he hears those three words, "Rogue is dying."





	Gunpowder

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Stingue Week 2017 with prompts set by MissSparklePony1
> 
> Day 2: Fireworks
> 
> This is a Stingue fanfic inspired by the Tama arc in Okamiden. If you don't know what it is, you should check it out. Okami and its sequel, Okamiden, are two of the best games ever ^^

The cool air around Shinshu Field was damp yet fresh as the hills shook with the wind and demons kept away. But there was one person who couldn't enjoy the Spring. Where cherry blossoms sprinkled the land from Kamiki and Yakushi Village, a lone hut on the high peaks away from civilization was a pyrotechnist. He went by the name of Rogue and could work gunpowder, herbs, minerals, and little bits of spark like a foreign language only he knew. His apprentice, Natsu who despite being older in age, still found the young master a genius.

However, this Spring left Rogue unable to act as his normal self. He hadn't touched his tools in over a week leaving Natsu to flame the furnace barely viable enough to warm the house. He was sick. His chest heaved with each breath nearly collapsing his lungs each time with body heat radiating at the touch, yet freezing to the air. Natsu was worried. Not only were people getting antsy and grumpy from losing one of the best features the area was known for, he was losing his friend.

Natsu knew he only had one choice.

"Rogue, I'm going to see Dr. Eucliffe," he stated one morning. Rogue was barely awake, however, Natsu could feel the glare. "It's for your own good!" he continued to urge the black haired boy. "I refuse to let you throw your life away even if it means conspiring with your enemy. Sure, he's mad at us, er rather, you actually. But, I'll get him to understand. Please, let me go. I'll be back by evening." Natsu looked at Rogue with puppy dog eyes. The raven simply huffed and shut his eyes. He grunted and Natsu smiled a little. He knew Rogue wasn't one to give up and he knew he was right.

Natsu lit the fire once more to possibly the most he could before grabbing light gear and began to run towards Yakushi Village. He crossed the overhanging bridge listening to the clicking of his sandals against the wood and then the hard sun-beaten dirt road. Soon enough, he saw the entrance of Kamiki Village and then the hole in the wall that led to Yakushi Village. He clamored in the dark hugging the wall before he could stick his pink noggin into the light where a narrow path with each side leading to a long painful drop that ended at the rope ladder. Above lay the cliffside where Yakushi Village lay nestled in the open cavern inside the canyons and mountains.

Yakushi Village: the world of bridges. When Natsu finally pulled himself above ground, he was met with bridges upon bridges upon bridges. Rock had been chiseled away in some part where shops were set up. Houses lay on small islands all interconnected by bridges and vines. In the center of it all was a large gourd-like house, the home of Dr. Sting Eucliffe. Natsu ran straight for it and skipped two steps at a time up his stairs. He burst through the door and collapsed on the floor. Sharp blue eyes fell upon his figure. A blonde haired slim figure made his way down to Natsu, eyes glaring and lips torn into a frown.

Before Sting could even utter a word, Natsu spoke quickly.

"Dr. Eucliffe, I know you and Rogue have had falling outs in the past but I beg of you. We need herbs to cure Spring Sickness!"

"How do I know you're not lying? You show up every few weeks with a different excuse. Every time, you lie all so you psychopaths can use my precious medicines for fireworks. Investing in you two idiots is a waste of my time," Sting spat. He began to walk away, but Natsu stood his ground.

"It's nothing like that this time!" he cried. "Rogue is dying." The blonde paused and turned to look at Natsu. His blue eyes bore down into the apprentice before he shook his head with a sigh, cold dead eyes looking away.

"You've tricked me for too long," he replied. "Burnt brain can die for all I care. Now, leave before I make you." Natsu stood mouth agape feeling betrayed. Sure, he expected Sting to be angry, but he never expected Sting to say those words. The fact he would let Rogue die shook Natsu to the core. He wanted to yell, to reject Sting, to show him how the severity of Rogue's sickness, but he knew Sting was stubborn, almost as much as his mentor. Natsu turned around disheartened and began his long way back to Rogue. He felt ashamed and frustrated. He hadn't come all this way to be dismissed and stomped on like a lowly insect. But what choice did he have now?

Sting watched out his window upstairs as the solemn figure of Natsu slowly trampled away. He let out a sigh once he'd disappeared over the bridge. He'd heard it all a million times. Rogue has the flu, measles, chicken pox, sore knees, coughs, and everything else that exists. Never once had Sting heard a true statement leave his mouth or his student. He loved fireworks as much as the next person, however, he was finished with allowing others to take advantage of his life's achievements. 

He turned away from the window, noting that noon was passing. It was time for him to head to over to Minerva's home. Minerva had been his best friend and his inspiration for pursuing medical sciences. After her abusive father was mauled by demons, Minerva took in a young child whose parents were victims of her father's iron fist. Yukino Aguria was a light in Minerva's world, however, she lived with lifelong cancer. She had an incurable disease that no current medication local or foreign could help. Crossing bridge after bridge until he reached the two-story pagodas. He entered the farthest of the three. Already, he heard the harsh breathing shaking the house. He ducked under the flap in the doorway and went upstairs to find Minerva dabbing wet towels on Yukino's forehead.

Minerva greeted Sting with the same worried look each time he had visited previously. 

"I'll make a poultice to ease the fever," I told her. She nodded. I ground up different herbs before reaching a slightly thick consistency of a greenish slosh. I diluted it with water so it wasn't so bitter, yet thin enough to pass through Yukino's throat painlessly. I heated it slightly before asking Minerva to wake the little girl up. Gradually, her eyes fluttered open. She smiled a little with that innocent shine glinting in her eyes.

After she drank the liquid, she returned the bowl. Before I could leave, she spoke.

"Mr. Eucliffe, please wait," her quiet voice said. I smiled softly and bent down to her eye level. "Do you think I'll get well enough soon in time to see the fireworks?" Sting stopped and blinked but nodded. 

"Of course, I'll promise, Yuki," he politely replied. "If you want, tonight, Minerva can take you to the ridge overlooking the village. That'll be the best spot to see them!" Yukino giggled and laid down to rest again, a grin plastered from cheek to cheek. Minerva walked him to the door before sending him on his way. By the time evening fell, Sting's thoughts were running a million miles an hour. He loved Minerva and Yukino. He made a promise, yet he felt conflicted in keeping it. Could he really make himself help Rogue? What if the words Natsu said weren't false? What if Rogue was dying? It wouldn't hurt to visit, would it? 

Sting sighed knowing his spirit would not sit well with him should he leave this feeling be. He thought back to what Natsu told him. Spring Sickness, although rare, was a type of illness that Sting had prepared for. He grabbed the ingredients before mixing them in a pot of boiling water creating a quick acting stew of sorts containing specific nutrients Rogue would need to fight this. He packed up and began a trek out of town. Evening fell as Sting saw the hut come into view. He pushed the creaky door open knowing Rogue couldn't answer. Natsu would have returned to Kamiki Village already. 

The blonde doctor found Rogue barely alive on his side burying himself into thin blankets on the floor. Without a word, he shook Rogue awake and before he could even falter from his lack of sense, Sting forced the warm stew down Rogue's throat. And like that, Rogue fell back into dreamland. His heartbeat fell back to a normal pace and his breathing grew less ragged and more stable. Sting looked at the other boy in front of him. Most of the time, Rogue had a stoic face or a mischievous look in his eye, but he seemed peaceful in his sleep. Sting just sat and stared with the hours ticking by. Night was falling soon and Rogue was beginning to become active again, his body gaining energy. 

All of a sudden, he shot up and came face to face with a smirking Sting. A moment of silence passed before Rogue understood.

"You helped me, then?" he asked. Sting nodded.

"I came here to help and... Make a request," he answered. He pulled out some leaves from his bag and handed them to Rogue making his red eyes glow with shock. "I want you to do a firework show tonight. "

"But, these are some of your rarest herbs!" Rogue exclaimed.

"I know," Sting simply said. "I just want to see it. I want to see you up close to them." Rogue was puzzled but shrugged it off. He was excited knowing he could work normally again. Sting was entranced as Rogue's fingers grew stained with soot and watched as he mixed and prodded and burned things like magic among the shadows of the dark shack. His arms went from one thing to another, eyes focused on every aspect of a song where he knew every chord and note. Sting found himself wanting to hold those hands. 

Perhaps, he would be able to get along with Rogue. Soon enough, Rogue set everything up and was left to light a spark. He led Sting outside and flicked a match into his contraptions. Then, colors poured into the air. Sting watched in wonder as all different colors flew and exploded into the air. He found Rogue smiling, a small action that even Sting never saw before. It was a genuine smile that made Sting realize how much these destructive little sticks drove his passion. Sting found it endearing. 

Rogue took a seat in the grass next to Sting. Unconsciously, Sting placed an arm on Rogue's shoulder and the other leaned in without a reason as to why. They fit naturally like two peas in a pod. Sting chuckled as they watched greens and reds and blues fly in all sorts of patterns.

"What's so funny?" Rogue asked.

"Natsu is going to be so angry you made these without him," Sting commented. Rogue scoffed.

"He'll have more chances. Provided I find good herbs," he replied. Sting rolled his eyes but said nothing. Rogue took that as an okay to continue. "Nonetheless, I am grateful to you. Thank you."

"No," Sting suddenly said. "It is me who should be thanking you for letting me see a world that I could never see clearly from the beginning. I hope that we can begin a good relationship from here on out. Is that okay?" Rogue nodded into Sting's chest.

"That would be wonderful."

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, the second installment out of eight is finally done! I really enjoyed writing this one so hope you liked it ^^ Please, drop a kudos and comment to let me know!


End file.
